This Bitter Earth
by LucienLachanceWearsMandals
Summary: She was a prisoner of the darkness her whole life. But, when she meets a maddening Jester on the side of the road, he sets her off into a new life. Will this life bring her into the light she always dreamed of or will the darkness keep her in its cold, bitter embrace? *M rated on a few chapters* *This project is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvience.*
1. Little Sheep

I never had a fair life. When I was 5, I was sold to a man that my family had become in debt to. I had no choice, no say, or opinion on the matter. I was just an object. I was _his _object.

He was Master. He took care of me. He fed me his leftovers, if he even remembered to. He cleaned my feces, well, opened the cage and made me do it. But he also got me a job.

I wasn't paid though. He managed the money since I never had a proper education. But I already know I'll never get the money when I leave. He never tells me when I'll leave, but he says soon. But I think we both know I'm never going to get out of here.

"Little Sheep, it's time to eat."

I looked up at Master with hopeful eyes and he sat beside me. I scooted onto his lap while he fed me potato skins. They were my favorite.

Master still insisted on calling me Little Sheep, even though I'm 25. Or, I think I am. I heard him say my age to customers to reassure they weren't breaking the law. Maybe he was just telling them what they wanted to hear. I was eating too fast and he slapped the food out of my hand.

"My Little Sheep is not a pig!"

He pushed me onto the ground and started to kick my stomach. He kept kicking until I threw up. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, so throwing up really hurt.

"If Little Sheep is going to act like a Little Piggy, then Master will treat her like one."

He threw my water bowl on the floor and it spilled everywhere. I ran desperately to the puddle and started to lick the stone floor. I needed water so badly. Master pushed me to the ground with his boot and kept me there. I hit my nose and it began to bleed.

"Poor Little Sheep, she doesn't know how to get back up. Master will help."

He picked me up and slung me over his shoulder. Like I told you, I was an object to him. He brought me up from the cellar and I immediately put my hands over my eyes. Being in darkness for so long then coming up to the light hurts my eyes since they get used to the dark.

He brought me to his room and sat me down on the bed. He began to undress me until I was completely naked. He then passed me a big, fluffy blanket and I wrapped myself around it. It was white, which was his favorite color.

"You look just like my Little Sheep again!"

He put his arm on my shoulder and slowly lowered me on my back. When I needed guidance back into the "light," he would oblige by showing me is demented way of "love." He undressed and took me away as a prisoner of the night.

* * *

I awoke the next morning with Master holding me close to him. Since I was already up here, he was most likely going to give me a bath.

I sat up and waited for him to get up. He didn't like me wandering around, so he kept me locked up in a cage that was located inside the cellar. Master ran an inn/pub. When the men drank, they got horny. So he sent them down to me to please them. I obliged, since I was a good Little Sheep. I began to work when I was 10. But he still showed me "love" before that.

It took about an hour after I got up for him to get up as well. He petted me and then slapped me across the face.

"Little Sheep should never stray from the light ever again."

I nodded as he sat up and began to put fresh clothes on. He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the inn. We went out back towards a water pump and he placed me in a large, wooden bucket. He filled the bucket with water and grabbed a worn out cloth. He liked to bath me and tell me that his Little Sheep was growing up before his eyes. I already grew up, but he doesn't want to accept that.

He placed some soap on my body and began to scrub really hard on my skin. When he washed it off, my skin was red and was hurt by the hot waters touch. He ran some soap through my hair, getting some of its tangles out. It`s been a week since I had a wash, so my hair was very greasy. It was summer time here in Skyrim, so it can get really hot if it wanted to. He pulled me out of the bucket and used a giant piece of linen to dry me. When he saw my area, he stared at it and scrubbed extremely hard on the spot. I let out a whelp, and he pushed me on the ground.

"Little Sheep is giving Master a headache. I'm sending you back to your cage."

He firmly grabbed my arm and pulled me back inside the inn. He opened the door to the cellar and placed me in front of the stairs. His boot hit me strong in the back and I fell down the stairs. Unfortunately, they weren't long enough to kill me. He threw a new white dress at me and closed the door.

I put it back on, knowing that he had forgotten to throw down my undergarments. I walked back inside the cage and stared at the door. He probably won't lock it since he'll have men come down here later. I wish I can escape the night time.

* * *

I woke up to a loud Nord man opening the door and asking if the whore lived down here. I heard Master say yes and help the man down the stairs. He was drunk; I always hated the intoxicated ones. Master smiled at me and I gave him a blank stare.

He always told me that all the years of me being his Little Sheep, the only other expression he's seen on my face besides boredom was fear. The man looked at me and gave me a toothy grin.

"Well aren't you a pretty one…"

He dropped his pants and I saw Master head back up the stairs. The Nord got onto my level and licked my face with his disgusting, slimy tongue. I sat up against the wall, holding onto my knees with my arms.

He flipped me on my back and began to do his business. Key word: His. I never did anything during sex. I never made noises and I never tried to put effort into it. I would just count all the stones that were molded into the ground or close my eyes and count until the men were done.

When he was, he pulled me up and made me take his aftermath. I had to swallow it. Master said that it would be wasteful if I didn't. He got up and I escorted him back up the stairs. After him, more men came down the stairs and made me their victim. All Master could do was count his money. I hope he invest in longer stairs.

* * *

"We're going to Riften."

I looked up at him and he held my leftovers and water bowl. He placed them on the ground and took a seat on a box. I never ate when he had to tell me something. It would be disrespectful.

"I made plans with Maven Black-Briar to have her mead be served at my pub. I will need to head to Honningbrew Meadery and cancel my contract with Sabjorn. Apparently, Maven and Sabjorn are in competition, so me serving Honningbrew Mead will not help me convince Maven to have a contract arranged to serve her mead."

I don't really understand what he`s talking about, but I tried to look interested anyway.

"That means we'll have to travel to Whiterun, stay for a while, and then make shift to Riften. Of course, I would never leave my Little Sheep behind."

He placed a hand on my forehead and smoothed away my bangs. They were combed over my forehead. But I haven't had a haircut for so long and now they covered my eyes.

I have black hair that covered all of my back. My hair was naturally wavy and thick. I have green eyes and really pale skin. My race is a Nord surprisingly.

I was always an outcast in my family, not having fairy-blonde hair and baby blue eyes like my older sister. My cheeks didn`t have a natural blush, and I wasn't as tall as a regular 5 year old Nord. I'm still pretty short and I don't look my own age since I don't have any muscles. Master thought I was adopted from High Rock at first, mistaking me for a Breton.

I never liked swords or magic. I was always fascinated by Wood Elves bows. I guess you can conclude why they gave me away instead of my older sister. Besides, Master is obsessed with youth, and my sister was 10. He liked her, but he was interested in me since I was an outcast. Lucky me.

No one cried, no one said sorry, no one cared. All they did was wave goodbye. My own sister sticked her tongue out at me. To be honest, I don't know where I would rather be at. Both of my homes sound like Oblivion.

* * *

It took about a month of preparing for us to finally take off. In that time, I've been a good Little Sheep and was able to get a new haircut. It went down to my chest and my bangs were changed to a side bang. He wanted us to look very professional.

Master told me that I was going to be his daughter while we're out. I never thought of him as a father figure. More like a torturer. He hired a carriage to bring us to our destinations. He also bought me nice clothing. I usually wore a worn out dress. He really went all out on this trip.

I looked back at the inn, seeing how the sun coming through the trees made it look like a forest in a fairy tale. But it was far from that. When we set off, I silently prayed that this would be the last time I ever see that place. And to my surprise, the Nine answered.

* * *

**(A/N): Updated chapter. Favorite, follow, or review.**


	2. Loreius

Whiterun Hold was home to farmlands and open fields. I wasn't too fond of open areas, but I can manage. Master has been in a more positive mood since we left. No hitting, no yelling, no lectures, and no "love" sessions. I wish he could be like that all the time.

"Little Sheep, are you hungry? Master is very hungry."

I nodded my head as I watched the ground under us pass by. He grabbed my hand and petted it. He does that when he's nervous about something. Maven Black-Briar is a big deal, apparently. She sounded like a hound. But then again, anyone who lives in Riften is a hound.

"Master thinks Little Sheep should work just a little while we're out."

I looked at him, my eyes losing their shine. I knew this was too good to be true. But what inn or pub would allow a harlot to work there in public? Or was he just going to find me a random drunk?

We were passing along a long stone path, but out of nowhere, a man carrying a large box on a wagon bumped into our carriage. We took no damage, but the man's wheel had fallen off and we all halted in front of a farm. Master got up and immediately helped the man.

Master was a very charismatic man, he could be telling you the biggest lie ever and you would never suspect a thing. He also used his charm to get what he wanted. Women would always fall for his looks, giving him better deals or even just giving it to him for free.

"Damnedest wagon wheel!"

I looked up and saw an Imperial man jumping up and down with his hands covering his ears. He wore…jester clothing. Well, Cyrodiil was known to harvest some unique entertainers.

Master looked at the wheel, trying to think of a way to repair the wagon without spending any coin. He looked around then pointed to the farm up ahead.

"Do you think the man who runs the farm has any tools?"

"Yes, yes, yes! Cicero and kindly stranger will go ask the farmer for help!"

I saw Master looking uncomfortable with the jesters sudden burst of speaking in third person. I thought it was amusing. He was a jester, wasn't he? Master looked at me, motioning me to come with him. I already knew why.

We all walked up the hill and knocked on the farmer's door. The farmer came out, looking confused. A predator, a jester, and a harlot came to his door, so I don't blame him.

"Yeah, can I help you?"

Master was about to open his mouth when the Jester had beaten him to the answer.

"Cicero is stuck; Mother and I need help fixing our wheel!"

"Sorry, I'm dealing with something that's not my problem."

He closed the door, but Master put his leg out and reopened the door. He was defiantly determined not to spend any coin.

"Can't you listen just a little, Mr….?"

"I'm Loreius. Vantus Loreius."

He held out a hand and Master shook back. Looks like he had a better impression than the Jester.

"Mr. Loreius, I was traveling with my daughter, when suddenly, we bumped into…ugh, Ciceros' wagon. I would be more than happy to help repair the wheel, but I don't have any tools on me. Would it be so much as to ask for a couple tools?"

Loreius looked like he was considering it, but he wasn't buying it.

"Look, I know you didn't mean harm, but I just don't want myself to be involved."

Master leaned in closer and whispered something in his ears. This is where I came in. Loreius looked me up and down. He smiled at Master and they shook hands. He liked what he sees. They all do.

"Little Sheep, I think it would be appropriate if you were to stay inside and cool down."

I nodded and walked into the house with Loreius. He shut the door and watched Master and the Jester, making sure they found what they needed.

I started to undress, then lay down on the bed. Loreius gave me a creepy smile, and began to undress. I saw that his mate was already showing. I sighed, knowing that my body was only good for sex.

* * *

After an hour of pleasuring Loreius, we both went outside to check up on Master and the Jester. Loreius squeezed my rear before letting me go. I walked back up to Master and he petted me on the head. I looked over and saw the Jester giving me a disappointed look. It's not his business.

They finished the wheel as the sun was falling down. Master thanked Loreius and apologized to the Jester. We got back on the road and stationed our wagon at Whiterun Stables. Whiterun was a huge city with a famous history. Master told me about the history of Dragonsreach once or twice.

We went inside of an inn called The Bannered Mare. Master flirted with Holda, the inn keeper, and got the big room for half the price. When we entered, Master made me unpack as he ate supper. I sat on the floor, waiting for my leftovers. When he was done, he put the plate on the ground and a cup of water. I licked it clean then chugged down the water.

"Little Sheep has been a good girl, so she can sleep with Master on the bed tonight."

I nodded my head and finished unpacking. The inn got louder and livelier as the night went on. Just like home. Master grabbed my hand and dragged me to the pub. He looked for subjects that who are drunk enough to bed me. We sat at a table in the back, scanning the area.

Then, out of nowhere, the Jester walked inside the inn. Masters face lit up and he got up to greet the man. He led the man to our table and grabbed him a chair. He poured a bottle of wine, but the Jester refused his offer. They talked about Cyrodiil for a while until Master got straight to the point.

"I have an offer, if you would be interested."

"Ohhh, Cicero likes offerings!"

"Then you're going to like this one. My daughter here likes to guide people back into the light with her unique love. If you would be interested in this, then she can work her magic for a measly 200 septims."

The Jester looked at me with the same expression from earlier and I sank into my seat. Why was this getting to me? He looked back at Master and handed him a bag of coins. Master felt the bag and was surprised by the weight. It was more than he said it would be. That means more time pleasuring. I want to die now.

Master got up and led the Jester to our bedroom. Master grabbed a book, and then walked over to the balcony to wait for the session to be over. I began to undress, but a warm gloved hand stopped me. I looked up and saw the Jester smiling at me.

"Cicero thinks the little girl doesn't want to do this. Cicero thinks she wants a different life…"

His hand brought my dress strap back up and he petted my head. Master. I can't let him not bed me. Master will get angry and hurt me. I looked at the jester with concern and he made a devious grin.

"Cicero has a better idea. Would the little girl like a new family?"

My mouth opened in shock and my eyes looked at him with hope. A new home? One where I don't have to bed men? I nodded my head really fast and he let out a funny squeal.

"Little girl is going to love our Mother! You'll get new Brothers and Sisters and a family who loves you!"

I kept looking at him, hoping he wasn't telling some type of joke. He told me that we were going to sneak out through the kitchen and head out to the stables. We quietly walked out of the inn, and as soon as we got out, he ran and jumped like a maniac.

"More children for Mother! Such a pretty new edition to the family!"

My cheeks suddenly burned, but I didn`t know why. My heart was also pumping a bit. Was that adrenaline? We left Whiterun and began to travel to the new home. He told me vaguely what his family does. He says they run a business, but it recently has been falling apart. He never said what line of work though.

* * *

We traveled for what felt like eternity, but finally made it towards a town. I believe it was Falkreath. Not very big like the city, an easy place to settle down. I think I might like it here. We kept going through the town, passing by many shops. Were we going to the house first? After a couple of more minutes of moving, we completely left the town. I felt concerned now.

Did they live in the forest? We traveled on a path, when suddenly; the Jester gets off the road. I panicked, thinking the wheel was falling off again. But it stayed the same. He stopped his horse in front of a bunch of rocks. I looked at him, confused. He grabbed my hand and helped me down.

I looked up, seeing a large, black door. What is this? My stomach dropped and I had a bad feeling about this.

"What is the music of life," asked an eerie and raspy voice.

"Silence, my brother."

"Welcome… home."

The door propped open slightly and the jester smiled down at me. I didn't know what to do. He grabbed my hand, leaving me clueless about my fate.

* * *

**(A/N): Updated chapter. I'm aware that Loreius has a wife, just altered it. Favorite, follow, or review.**


	3. Gabriella

When I first stepped into the cave, I immediately smelled something bitter. Blood. Tons of it. I also noticed that it was going deep underground. The jester, also known as Cicero, was giving me a crazy smile. I didn't do anything back, mostly because I was too worried for my own well being.

After we walked deeper into the cave, I saw a blonde Nord women standing over a table. She had a map spread out with daggers stabbed into the map. Was she some type of general? She turned when she heard the Jester's loud boots making its way through the cave. She smiled, and then looked over at me with a frown. I guess I'm not supposed to be here.

"You must be Cicero. It's an honor, Keeper. I'm Astrid, Mistress of this Sanctuary. Who is your little friend there? You never mentioned bringing…outsiders."

She looked me up and down, examining my outer strength. She didn't like at all what she sees.

"Poor Cicero's wheel broke, but this little girl's father helped Cicero! She wanted to join the Brotherhood, so Cicero and little girl traveled with mother to our new sanctuary!"

"I see. So, tell me, what is your name?"

I can't. My mouth has never allowed me to speak. I last thing I have said was "I'm only 5…" That`s when Master first showed me "love." I don't even remember my name.

"Little girl doesn't talk. She didn't laugh at Cicero's jokes or sing along with his songs! She's just as quiet as another Lady I know…"

Astrid brushed off the weird comment and tried again. This time, she brushed the bang out of my eye, just like Master did.

"If you're not ready, then that's okay. Cicero, we'll get the Night Mother soon. You two should relax after that long trip. We'll also test if you're worthy of being an assassin."

Assassin? By the Nine, where am I?

* * *

"What does it do," asked a little vampire girl.

"I don`t know," replied a Dumner woman.

The vampire played with my hair as the Dumner did some measurements. I was getting fitted for new clothing. The vampire wore kid clothing, only in red. The Dumner wore robes, mage robes. They had a black hand on them, representing something from the ancient Brotherhood. Astrid told me some facts and history about the Brotherhood before these two picked me up.

"What was her name?"

"Astrid said she doesn't talk."

"Do you even have a name?"

I realized that she was talking to me. They've been having this hour talk about me, but not actually saying something to me. I thought about it, was Little Sheep a name? I shook my head, trying to get rid of the memories of that past. She squinted her eyes and put her hand on her chin. I looked at the Dumner, who let out a little giggle.

"Ebony."

"What?"

"We should call her Ebony."

"Why?"

"Her eyes may be green, but they are full of darkness and despair. Her hair is also pure black."

"Yes, that would be a perfect name!"

"What are you two doing?"

We all looked over and saw an old man. He was wearing the same robes as the Dumner. His face looked distressed and his eyebrows were twitching with annoyance.

"This is our newest recruit," said the vampire.

"What can she do?"

"We're not sure. She doesn't even talk," said the Dumner.

"Tell me, do you like magic?"

He lit a small flame on his finger. I shook my head and he sighed loudly.

"I guess she won't be wearing the robes then. Give her the typical armor."

After a couple more moments of conversation between the three, Astrid came in.

"Everyone come here, it's time to meet the Night Mother and her…Keeper."

Everyone got up, but I stayed seated. I'm not really used to being free to roam wherever I wanted. The Dumner stopped in her tracks and came back towards me.

"I know this might be new to you, but we're your family now. You don`t need to feel like you're a burden."

She gave me a genuine smile as she grabbed my hand. My heart started to sink, but in a good way. What is this feeling? She pulled me up and I finally walked with everyone else to the main area of the sanctuary. I saw more people, an Argonian, a man with long, white hair, and a Redguard. I also saw the Jester, who was dancing around a large coffin. It was made of steel; so many details were made on the coffin. The Nord and Redguard looked annoyed, while the Argonian just looked happy. Astrid conversed with the Jester, who was getting the Nord man very frustrated. He yelled at him, but Astrid intervened and told him to behave. After everyone walked away, I heard something kind of disturbing.

"You're the boss, for now…"

The Jester had a devious smile instead of his crazy one. He looked at me and the smile immediately went away. Was he not supposed to have anyone hear him?

"Does little girl like her new home?"

I nodded my head and he petted me.

"Cicero knew that Mother needed new Children. Would little girl like to come with Cicero to collect flowers for Mother? Pretty, pretty flowers…"

I nodded my head and he grabbed my hand. We left the cave and he ran around the area, trying to look for some type of flower. I took a seat on a rock and watched him search.

"Does little girl not want to look for flowers?"

I shook my head, but he walked over to me anyway.

"Cicero thinks that little girl did a good job with Astrid."

I just looked at him, remembering what he said under his breath earlier. He grabbed my hand, dragging me on the ground. I half expected him to have his way with me, but then I remembered that I'm not in that life anymore. He made me sit as he picked through a patch of Nightshade.

He gave them to me, making sure if they were good enough for Mother. I examined a little then nodded my head, trying to look like I was interested. After he pulled out 12, we finally went back inside.

"Ebony, I need to talk to you. Or, are you not okay with that name?"

I saw the vampire and Dumner standing by Astrid. I guess they told her. I nodded my head and she continued on with her talk.

"I think we're going to put your training off for a while. I just got word of a new contract. A boy, performing the Black Sacrament. Summoning us, the Dark Brotherhood. Are you ready?"

Was I ready? I never killed anyone, let alone attack anyone. I nodded, slight hesitation appearing. I hope she didn't notice.

"Good. See me in a week and we'll set you up."

"Can Cicero go with little girl? Cicero hasn't been on the hunt in years!"

"I'm sorry, Brother. Your duties as Keeper doesn't allow it. Why don`t you go…tend to the Night Mother."

"Of course, Mistress!"

Astrid rolled eyes as Cicero left the room dancing. I thought she liked Cicero? Oh well, at least they both show signs of hating each other.

"We'll have your armor ready tomorrow, so head out then."

I nodded my head, walking back to the main room.

"Ah, there you are!"

I turned around and saw the Argonian sitting in front of a water fall. He patted the ground next to him, motioning me to sit down. I did, noticing he sat a little closer.

"You're new, so I'm guessing you don't really know how everything work."

I nodded my head, letting him know that I'm listening.

"Stick to the shadows and don't try to ask the public for questions. Also, don't ever try to approach your contract in the public. You don't know who was watching and will try to recognize your face."

He talked to me for a while, telling me about how he's the last Shadowscale in the world. Well, whatever that is. He finally let me go, telling me a final good luck. His name was Veezara, and he was pretty nice.

I got up and headed back to the room with the Dumner and vampire. The girl was sitting in front of a large pit with a spider crawling around. I'm not really squeamish about bugs since I lived in the cellar. The Dumner was sitting at a stone table while the old man was standing over a table with green lights glowing through. The Dumner noticed me and smiled.

"Did you need something, Sister?"

I nodded my head.

"What is it?"

I clapped my hands together and rest my head on them.

"Oh, you need a bed, is that it? Come with me."

She grabbed my hand and led me to another hole in the cave. The room was filled with beds and a few large chest. She led me to a bed with the chest open.

"Put anything important in here, here's the key."

I felt a little awkward about having a bed. I mean, they're really comfortable. But I'm so used to sleeping in the bed with someone. Maybe I'm being too dependent on everyone. I need to become strong!

"Is something wrong?"

I looked up, my mind getting back to reality. I shook my head and she giggled.

"You're very cute, Ebony. I know we'll be good friends."

My heart is thumping again. Does my heart like having people? Of course it does, idiot! I felt my face light up and the Dumners face was in shock. I smiled for the first time.

"Babette, come here! You need to see this!"

* * *

After all the excitement from earlier, I decided to go to sleep. I looked at the ceiling for hours, trying to calm myself down. I feel so nervous, sleeping on the bed. One night, Master forgot to lock my cage and the cellar door. I went upstairs and slept in an unoccupied guest room. Master found me the next day and didn't allow me to lie down or sit for a week. I had purple and blue bruises all over my body.

I got up from my bed, trying to get rid of these nightmares. Maybe I'll just go explore the cave more. I went to different rooms, finally stumbling upon the food hall. I found another room. This one had the coffin in it. I saw the Jester's flowers from earlier place in front of the coffin. I felt a cold breeze pull me forward. Suddenly, all my worries and pains left my body. I felt like I was pulled in some type of spell. My body got filled with pleasures and powers like no other. My legs started to move themselves and my hand was reaching for the coffin.

"Little girl?"

I broke from the spell and everything came back to me. I tuned and saw the Jester, still in his attire.

"What was little girl about to do to Mothers coffin? She wasn't thinking of…defiling Mother…"

His fingers were rubbing on his dagger as he was giving me a creepy stare. I shook my head quickly, knowing what would happen if I didn't. His expression changed and he smiled like himself.

"Does little girl want to pray with Cicero?"

I nodded my head, trying to be trustworthy in front of the Jester. He got on his knees and I followed his movements. He closed his eyes and clapped his hands together. Even though he was praying, he was still mumbling things under his breath. I actually prayed, asking the coffin for that illusion or spell again. I've never felt so good in my entire life.

"Such a good child…"

My heart skipped a beat and I stumbled onto the floor a little. What was that? I looked over at the Jester and he was still praying. The voice that talked to me was raspy and deep. The Jester had a more peppy and cheerful voice. I stood up, the Jester finally breaking out of his prayers.

"Is little girl done?"

I nodded my head, but I couldn't move. I felt so afraid to sleep alone. He kept looking at me, waiting for me to leave.

"Does little girl want to say something?"

I did the sleeping motion and pointed at him.

"Oh, little girl wants to share a bed with Cicero! Let's hope Mother doesn't feel uneasy…"

I followed him to his bedroom, which was connected to this room. He had all his stuff already scattered around the room. He took a diary off his bed and shoved it inside an empty drawer. I walked up to the bed, waiting for him to tell me that I couldn't. But he was too busy cleaning the room. I pulled the blanket up and slid my tiny body under the covers. Having someone around in the room made me feel more relaxed. I watched the Jester drift into sleep, thanking the Nines that I now have a family.

* * *

**(A/N): Updated chapter. Favorite, follow, or review.**


	4. Aventus

"Here you go, lamb. Don't break your arm holding that."

Arnbjorn, Astrid's husband, gave me a new steel dagger that he created himself. He worked as a blacksmith for the family, but I felt like he had more of a power than that. He smelled like a dog; maybe he didn't shower? He also had an intense stare, no matter the person.

When I reached for my new dagger, the cold touch made me realize again why I really needed it. I'm an assassin now. My armor was just finished this morning and was very tight on me. I've gained quite a few pounds since I was fitted, so I don't expect this to be around for long. My thigh gap was starting to fill, and my pasty white skin got a tad peachier.

I've been training with the Jester this past week, since he had nothing better to do besides tend to the Night Mother. He told me more about the Brotherhood, the Old Ways, and his duties as Keeper. I adjusted to his quirkiness, and found myself quite fond of the tiny Jester.

"You going to stand there, or am I going to have to push you away?"

My train of thought was broken when I saw the giant man standing over me. I looked to my side and saw I was in the way of one of his stations. I quickly left the room, but heard "stupid lamb" before completely exiting.

"Good, just the person I needed to see."

I looked up and saw Astrid sitting at her stone desk. Her head rested on the knuckle of her left hand, while the right tapped impatiently on the table. Her legs were crossed over each other and she gave me a sly smile. I've wanted to be more like Astrid since arriving here. She had a sort of classiness to her.

"I see you were granted a new weapon by my husband. That's good. Let's hope all that training with Cicero was worth the work he put into it."

My face lit up a little by the mention of the Jester. We sneaked out in the middle of the night to train, but I didn't know anyone was aware of our private sessions. My body stiffened and I listened to what else she had to say.

"Now, I have this contract that's been on delay for too long. Maybe you heard it in a tavern or inn, but we have a special client calling for our assistants."

She switched legs and moved her bottom around to get more comfortable. I watched as she reached for a scroll that was sitting at the edge of the table. She unrolled the paper and read aloud what was written.

"Aventus Aretino of Windhelm is summoning us, the Dark Brotherhood, to assassinate an unknown target for an unknown reward. Witnesses say that he prays all day and night for the arrival of an assassin. As Mistress of this Sanctuary, I grant Dark Sister Ebony with the task of talking to Aventus and murdering who needs to be punished."

She handed me the paper as she sat up. I tried to reread what she had said, but I didn`t know how to read.

"Don`t worry about the what was said, all I need you to do is travel to Windhelm for now. I`ll send Veezara to assist you, but I want the killing to be all you, understood?"

I nodded my head, a smile escaping my lips. I quickly covered my face with my hand, but Astrid still caught my happiness.

"You know, you're prettier when you smile."

* * *

As we pulled into Windhelm stables, I started to get anxiety. My job as an assassin was going to begin, and just how long was I going to last? I wasn't strong, and I can't always travel with someone. I've never been on my own, and I don't think I'll be able to do anything alone.

"Is there something wrong?"

I looked over and saw Veezara. He was giving me a sympathetic look and a smile, something he did to me a lot. I nodded my head, trying not to attract attention to myself. Once we put our horse away for the night, we entered the city of Windhelm. On occasion, Veezara mentioned he wasn't excited at all to head for Windhelm. I didn't understand until we actually walked in. They treated anybody who wasn't a Nord like garbage. Veezara got plenty of looks from the locals, but we trudged on to the right side of town. Dark Elves lived in this part, but they barely made it by. It looked run down, like some purposely tried to ruin it.

"We'll head to Aventus Aretino's house later tonight. Let's get some grub first."

Instead of going to Candlehearth Hall, we went to New Gnisis Cornerclub. The Cornerclub was run by the Dark Elves, since Candlehearth didn't like to serve the Elves. We got a hot meal and headed for our seats. Eating meals at a table was a little strange, and sometimes, I would take my food and eat on the ground. I decided against it though, since no one would ever know why. When we both finished, Veezara thanked them for the meal and we headed for Aventus's house.

Aventus lived in this part of town, making me think he was a Dark Elf. When we found his house, Veezara locked picked the door to his home, giving us the chance to enter. I heard a young boy, which took me aback. Why was a mere child trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood? We trudged on, trying not to draw attention to the main door. As we got closer, I heard the boy crying out, praying for someone.

"Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear."

"The Sacrament," Veezara begin to explain.

"It's an ancient ritual to call for the Night Mother. She would get the prayer, have her Listener make tell the Speakers who needed assistance, and divide them up throughout the Brotherhood. But times have changed, and with no Listener means fewer prayers are being heard. We rely on rumors for contracts."

I knew slightly about the Old Ways from the Jester, but I was still new, and I trying to learn about the Old Ways and New Ways were both confusing. When we got upstairs, I saw the lights from candles flickering.

Master… when I was young, he used to light candles in the cellar, making me feel more at ease. Those were the moments I missed with him. And I hated myself for missing him.

Veezara kept moving on, making me remember what we were really here for. I entered the room first, not wanting to fail Astrid if Veezara had to deal with the boy. There was a skeleton on the ground, and few organs. The candles went around the body, and off to the side, I saw petals from Nightshade.

He looked at me, his eyes looking dead and hollow. His clothes were torn and looked much worn. His face was covered in layers of dirt, as was his hair. I tried my best to endure the young boys smell, but I knew my face showed disgust. He looked helpless, innocent definitely, but something told me he knew more than what he showed.

"You've come at last! I knew you would! It worked! I knew you'd come, I just knew it!"

He jumped from his spot and gave me a small hug. I looked over at Veezara, but he didn't give any clue of what I should do.

"I did the Black Sacrament, over and over. With the body, and the… the things. And then you came! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood!"

I nodded my head slightly, letting the boy continue with his story.

"It took so long. So very long. But now that you're here, you can accept my contract."

I looked at Veezara, who pulled out a piece of parchment and ink. I nodded once more for him to continue.

"My mother, she… she died. I… I'm all alone now. So they sent me to that terrible orphanage in Riften. Honorhall. The headmistress is an evil, cruel woman. They call her Grelod the Kind. But she's not kind. She's terrible. To all of us. So I ran away, and came home. And performed the Black Sacrament. Now you're here! And you can kill Grelod the Kind!"

* * *

As we left Aventus' house, my mind began to wander. Riften… why did that place seem so familiar…

"You ready to travel to Riften? It won't be as long as this trip."

It suddenly all came back to me. Master was staying at Riften.

* * *

**(A/N): Oh look, new chapter after months of being gone. Sorry if I made Ebony seem out of character, I just need to get in that feel again. New chapters won't be every Saturday, but when I have time and inspiration.**


	5. Grelod

"_Did Little Sheep ever hear about the Black Sheep," asked a man._

_A little girl of only 8 shook her head, letting the man continue with his story._

"_They say that on a farm, there was a Black Sheep. That Sheep thought different, acted different, and looked different. It was a disgrace, an outcast. Just like my own Little Sheep…"_

_He put his hand under the small girls chin and lifted her head, revealing what appeared to be a hicky._

"_Such an ugly creature. An outcast. That's why your family never wanted you!"_

_He slapped the small girl on the ground and undressed her. He pulled his own pants down and raped the young girl. But she didn't care. She never did. She knew she was a tainted Black Sheep. An outcast. An…ugly creature…_

* * *

I shook my head, trying to rid myself of that terrible memory. I saw the main gate for Riften, and I knew the inevitable was coming soon. Master will find me, rape me, and…kill me. I don't want to die. I know what living is now. I won't allow him to take that from me. Ever.

I pulled into Riften Stables and quickly got off my horse. Veezara was going a little slower since it was the dead of the night. I stayed close to the guards, even pointing at Veezara, wanting them to know that he was with me. Only him. A few moments later, he pulled up to the Stables.

"How do you have so much energy, but never sleep," Veezara asked as he brought his horse over to mine.

It's true, I never sleep. Ever since the Jester and I left Whiterun, I haven't slept. I'm not sure why, but I can't. Every time I try, I think of the Inn and shake off all my tiredness.

"You're probably not going to answer, so let's head inside and stay at an inn for the night," he said tiredly.

As we walked up to the entrance, one of the guards unarmed their sword and stretched it in front of us. We stepped back a little, trying our best not to bring attention to ourselves by starting a fight.

"Hold there. Before I let you into Riften, you need to pay the visitor's tax."

"Visitor's tax? I've never heard of this," Veezara said calmly.

"It's for the privilege of entering the city. What does it matter?"

"I know just as much as you do that this is not a real thing, let us in," Veezara whispered.

"All right, keep your voice down… you want everyone to hear you? I'll let you in; just let me unlock the gate."

The guard walked up to the gate and lifted the lard wooden stick, making the doors open slightly. He opened the rest of the door, looking around to make sure that no one saw us enter.

Once we were inside, the world was as quiet as death. Not one peep of noise was made, like if everyone was waiting on our next move…

_Slam!_

I jumped a little from the sudden slam of the gate. Veezara noticed, and grabbed onto my hand.

"It'll be okay Ebony, let's just head to Bee and Barb, okay?"

His words were a little comforting, but I know I'll never be able to rest with the thought of Master lurking around.

* * *

I couldn't do it. I got up from my chair in the room and grabbed my weapons. I'm not staying here for any longer. I tried to be as quiet as possible leaving the inn. When I got out, I headed for the Orphanage. Veezara showed me earlier, so I sort of knew my way there.

When I reached the Orphanage, the door was locked and there was no other way of getting in without drawing attention to myself. I slumped on the ground. What was the point of this, who was I trying to impress? I can't do anything by myself…

I felt something sharp cutting into my dress, and saw that it was a lock pick. Just my luck. I grabbed it and tried my best to not break it. I never locked picked before, so this was going to be a little challenging.

_Rustle._

What was that? I looked around, paranoia hitting me hard. I suddenly felt a cold breeze head my way. I worked faster and a little harder, trying to outrace the breeze.

_Click._

I got it opened. I ran into the Orphanage, escaping whatever was lurking over my shoulder. Slamming the door, I hid under a dining table, encase someone woke up. So much for being quiet.

After a few moments, I deemed it secure to start moving around again. I went to the room next to this one and saw that it was filled with sleeping children. They looked so innocent, but I was able to see the damage that was done to them internally.

I kept going forward and opened up another door. It brought me to a big bedroom. An elderly woman was sleeping on her bed. She had a naturally mean look to her. I came to a conclusion that she was Grelod, and placed my dagger over her neck.

One clean cut. That was all it took. Her eyes shot open, but it was too late. They lost the life in them, slowly closing. I wiped my dagger off with a piece of cloth, when suddenly, small footsteps came my way.

"Y-you killed Grelod, d-didn't you?"

A sting of guilt hit me. She may have been an abuser, but she took care of them. She looked after all of them.

"Aventus was right," she said, her tone changing.

"Everyone, come look! Grelod is dead!"

All the children stormed into the room and began to celebrate the death. I was a little confused, but they seemed happy. I left through another exit, but before leaving, I saw a young woman calm the children down. At least they weren't completely alone.

* * *

"I had a feeling," Veezara said to me as I opened the door to our room.

"You seemed to jump at every little noise, so I figured you snap at some point."

Heat rose to my face again. How does he know so much about my habits? He went up to me and lifted my head with his hand.

"Good job, assassin."

* * *

As we left the Bee and Barb, the rise of the sun made me relax a little. Day time was more comforting than the setting of the night.

"Oh, I forgot to leave a tip to the bartender. I'll be right back."

I smiled at Veezara as he went back towards to the inn. Riften was strangely a beautiful place. It was run down, but the way the sun hit the trees, it reminded me of the forest I once lived in.

_Rustle._

I turned around, and there he was. Standing only a few feet from me.

"Master…" I said in terror.

He wore a black cowl over his head and a long black robe. He was giving me a wicked grin, and his eyes were blood-shot.

"It seemed that Little Sheep strayed from the light, to the point where she can never recover. You finally have become the Black Sheep."

He walked towards me, each step making me flinch. I was frozen. My feet wouldn't allow me to move. I was suddenly grabbed from behind. Master quickly ran back into the shadows, but not before mouthing something to me.

"_I'll find you…"_

I was turned around and saw the face Veezara. He had a serious look on his face, so I knew he heard everything.

"Please…" I began to whisper.

"Don't tell anyone… especially the Jester…"

He simply nodded his head, but I can tell he was surprised. I was surprised too. For the longest time, my voice never worked. Or I just never allowed it. But why so suddenly? There's so many things that I need to fix about myself. This is only the start.

* * *

**(A/N): I know that at the end of chapter 3, I said that Ebony fell asleep. But I went back and fixed a lot of things and deleted that. She suffers from insomnia now. Also, she's not going to be speaking all the time. It'll be a while before she speaks again. Favorite, follow, or review.**


	6. Alexandria

"Yes, she is quite a gorgeous young girl," said a man with longish black hair.

A girl with long blonde hair and baby blue eyes stared at the man. Her cheeks were blushing from the sculpted face of the man, and she was captivated by his grey eyes.

"Tell me, what's her name?"

"Her name is Crystal. She's my oldest."

"Oldest? You have another child?"

"Yes, I have another daughter. She's 5 years old. Would you like to see her?"

He looked at the father before nodding his head. As they made their way to the bedrooms, Crystal followed the men. She held onto her father's hand, giving a devious smile as they saw the little girl. They stopped at the doorway, observing the little girl. She had a little doll, and she made her doll carry a toy bow with it. She looked happy, contempt with her life.

"What's her name?"

"Alexandria."

"Alexandria…" The man whispered to himself.

"Tell me, is she adopted?"

"Adopted?"

"Yes, is she a young Breton girl?"

"No no, she's just…weird."

"I see…Well, I think I've made my choice. I'd like to take this young girl."

"Hm, fine with me. Tell me though, why her over Crystal?"

"Because she has a unique look to her. I like unique."

"I see, well, very well…Alexandria?"

The young girl looked up with her big, green eyes.

"Yes papa?"

"This man here is going to take you to a new home. One away from papa and mama. You're going to like it there."

"But why can't you come with me," she asked in the most innocent way.

"We will come, but not for a while. Now you leave your things here, and come with him right away."

She placed her toys down and ran over to the man. She looked up at him, and was taken aback by his outer charm. He smiled at her as he held her hand. As they walked to the front door, the man and her father talked about things that didn't make sense to the young girl. Finally, they got outside and boarded the wagon.

"Say goodbye to your family, Alexandria," the man said as they slowly rode off.

The girl looked back, and noticed her older sister sticking her tongue out at her. She didn't know why though.

"Now, say hello to Master."

* * *

**(A/N): I got bored and wrote this new chapter. I'm probably not going to be updating that much, I've lost inspiration and motivation to write this story. I'll just leave this here for people who've been following this story for a long time.**


	7. The end y'all

Alright, so I've come to the conclusion that I'm done making fanfictions. They don't spark me. I'll continue to read them, but I'm done making my own. Maybe I'll make them again one day, but that day will be very far away. Anyway, it feels unjust to leave you guys hanging for so long just to have it canceled, so I'm going to give you the rundown of the ending for this fic.

So Ebony and Cicero end up together. That was a given from the beginning.

The ending of the brotherhood is the same as the game ending. I'm unoriginal like that.

Master is not killed. Sorry for everyone who wanted that. The scene was going to be Ebony coming back to the inn 5 years after Astrids betrayal. She would find him in a drunken state, looking like skin and bones and long facial hair. Weak looking like she did a long time ago. He would beg for her back, confess about his dead fiancée and how she looked like her, and treat her right. He also reveals the location of her familys farm. She simple leaves him $200 septims and leaves, saying "The black sheep was never an outcast, but simply different from the rest."

The ending scene is her walking up the path to her home, opening the door and saying "Alexandria is home…"

Yeah. That's it. You can be pissed about this, I don't really care. It's done and over with.


End file.
